"In his new novel Everything Is Borrowed, Nathaniel Popkin looks through the eyes of a modern-day architect to explore how a city’s history can echo through the years. Popkin expertly plays with time. His writing is beautifully layered, and the book’s parallel stories tie together in unexpected ways that keep a seemingly simple plot engaging throughout."

So begins the Foreword Reviews piece on Everything Is Borrowed, to be released in nine days. Click on the image to read the full review.

Another advance review of Everything Is Borrowed has just appeared, this one by Jon Sobel at Blogcritics. Sobel shows a fine appreciation for the psychic turmoil of the novel's narrator, architect Nicholas Moscowitz, who gets obsessed with his guilty memories of a college love affair and with the life of a 19th-century counterpart who frequented the same city blocks:

"as the book effectively evokes Nicholas’s obsessive state of mind it also gives us vivid snapshots of the anarchist movement of the late 19th century; a glimpse into the lives of poor Jewish immigrants of the time; and a sensitive rendering of the hyper-reality of the college-age mind. 'The neighborhood, far west of our university, might be a world apart. Living here makes us feel authentic and original, as if we, who are merely transient, are part of something real.'

"That feeling of being 'merely transient' sings through the whole narrative. As Nicholas scans the history of the blocks and buildings associated with his predecessor, he observes the impermanence of even the most solid-seeming structures....

"The title, Everything is Borrowed, takes on a dual meaning: artists build their new creations out of borrowed pieces of others’ past work. But in the end our lives, too – our relationships, our activities, even the places in which we ride it all out – must go back out with the tide of history."

Another rave review of our just-released novel, The Speed of Clouds by Miriam Seidel, this one from Jaclyn M Brown at The Coil:

“… as life continues throwing her curveball after curveball, Mindy [the protagonist] is forced out of her head and into the real world, where, for the first time in a long time, she takes the difficult step of confronting herself to determine what she wishes the future to hold.

“The Speed of Clouds is a compelling read for many reasons. First, the characters themselves are treated as complex individuals. No one falls into tropes or stereotypes, and the diversity present transcends boundaries of class, ability, race, and sexual orientation. … Because the characters are so well-written and come across as fully formed people, The Speed of Clouds is able to address themes of community, acceptance, and openness with the depth these themes deserve.

“Overall, this is a fantastic read with characters who will make you cheer and hurt for them, a plot that delivers, and strong depth of feeling all the way through.”

The novel can be ordered at any bookstore and at many online outlets, including these:

"The Speed of Clouds is a love letter to fandom and to embracing geeky passions – whether it’s collectibles, science fiction, music, art, architecture, or web design. Seidel balances Mindy’s day-to-day life with excerpts from her fan fiction, and the fan fiction she receives as editor of her new online venture. The two worlds inform and enrich each other, adding depth to the characters through their inner lives.…

"The Speed of Clouds also shines in its characters, especially Mindy who is allowed to be flawed, and in her own words 'bitchy'. She’s a fully-rounded human being, pushing away her friends and family without losing them, experiencing self-doubt, but managing to fight through it, and taking control of her body through her decisions about her health, mobility, and her sexuality. It’s a poignant novel, and as a debut, leaves me eager to see what Seidel does next."

The reviewer is A.C. Wise, who also provides this complimentary note: "Disclosure: I received a pre-release copy and provided a blurb. I adored the book, and wanted to highlight it here."

Another advance review of Miriam Seidel's The Speed of Clouds, which launches this week:

Mindy Vogel is haunted by the future. In frequent daydreams, she toggles between her real, wheelchair-bound life and the adventurous life of her fanfic alter ego, SkyLog officer Kat Wanderer. She's haunted by all that Kat can do which she cannot--belong to an organization of comrades, walk, and fall in love--yet. Because at twenty-four, Mindy's future is very much ahead of her, wheelchair notwithstanding. . . .

. . . there's a lot to love both in the interpolated fanfics themselves and in Mindy's quirky explorations on Earth.

The Speed of Clouds is recommended to fans of all types, especially female sf fans, audiences with visible and invisible disabilities, and anyone who's ever imagined a geodesic gym might be a beacon toward your real home.